JUTLAND BANK, NAVAL BATTLE OF, a naval engagement of the first magnitude, fought between the German and British fleets during the European War, on May 31, 1916.
For months previous to this date the British fleet had been making a prac tice of occasionally sweeping the North Sea with all its available ships, to dis courage any attempt on the part of the German ships to raid the British coast. On May 31, 1916, one of these patrols in force was in progress, under the com mand of Admiral Jellicoe, who, himself, occupied a position near the middle of the North Sea, while Vice Admiral Beatty, commanding two battle cruiser divisions, supported by a division of dreadnoughts of the Queen Elizabeth class, under Rear-Admiral Evans Thomas, was some seventy miles to the southward. The weather at the time was calm,. but inclined to be foggy, ren dering it impossible to see any great dis tance.
In the middle of the afternoon one of Beatty's ships, the light cruiser "Gala tea," unexpectedly sighted smoke, being then about ninety miles west of the Dan ish coast. The 'Galatea" steamed for ward to investigate, and an hour later found herself engaged with a squadron of five German battle cruisers.
Beatty immediately attempted to inter cept the German ships in their attempt to retire, whereupon the German Ad miral, Vice Admiral von Hipper, turned and gave battle, at a range of about nine miles. Ten minutes after the first heawY firing began, the "Indefatigable," the rear ship of the British column, was struck by a number of heavy shells fired by the Germans and sunk. Twenty minutes later the "Queen Mary," the latest and best of the British battle cruisers, also sank under the German fire. For the time being the advantage in armament and number of ships was with the Ger mans, but presently Rear Admiral Thomas' dreadnought division came \with in range, and again the British had the superiority of strength on their side. For the next half hour von Hipper's five battle cruisers fought four British battle cruisers and four dreadnoughts, suffering severe punishment.
The British ships were making every effort to cut off the retreat of the Ger man ships, and with every prospect of success, which would have compelled von Hipper to run to the northward, in the direction toward Jellicoe's fleet of dread noughts. But presently the British
made out the head of a column of Ger man dreadnoughts approaching, to the relief of von Hipper.
Immediately Beatty changed his tac tics, for he was now hopelessly outnum bered. Instead of trying to drive the Germans toward the main British fleet, he turned and ran, hoping to draw the Germans after him in pursuit. The ruse worked well, and von Hipper immediately began the pursuit, unconscious of the near approach of the main British fleet. The German dreadnought column, under Admirai von Scheer, followed along be hind.
Meanwhile Jellicoe, seventy miles to the northward, with three squadrons of the most powerful fighting ships in the world—twenty-five in all, including his flagship, the "Iron Duke," had received 7ireless communication of what was go ing on and was steaming toward the scene of battle at top speed. At about six in the evening the foremost ships of Jellicoe's column, three battle cruisers under Admiral Hood, sighted Beatty's fleeing fleet, and swung into the action. But hardly had the "Invincible," Hood's flagship, opened fire, when she disap peared amidst a great burst of shell and smoke.
The main fleet of the British, however, was by this time close at hand, coming to Beatty's rescue. As has already been stated, the weather was overcast and foggy, and this greatly handicapped the British Admiral, as he was therefore unable to distinguish friend from foe on his approach, and did not, therefore, dare to open fire until very close to the scene of action.
As Jellicoe approached, Beatty's column opened before him, and the main British fleet swept through, southward, heading for the head of the German line. Beatty's ships also swung southward, parallel with the main fleet, and pres ently the Germans found themselves in the focus of the fire of practically the whole British fleet. According to the British reports, the German column "crumpled" under this unexpected at tack.